CONTRIBUTIONS TO WESTERN BOTANY NO. 16 



spurious genera or not I cannot say, but there are no scientific 

 grounds for them. If there is a real difference between groups then there is 

 some grounds for the erection of a generic name to mark it, but Gray's way 

 of making sections is far better in my opinion. 



Now taking up the genus Astragalus in order we find him splitting it 

 into 20 different genera. Now do these proposed genera contain well- 

 marked groups that would lead the average botanist to recognize each 

 group from the species included in it? Let us see. Another question is are 

 the genera grouped in the genetic order? His first genus is Kentrophyta of 

 Nuttall, which is perfectly manifestly a specialization of the "Homalobi" 

 ciue to altitude of habitat, and for that reason should follow and not precede 

 the Homalobi. The one good species in this group he expands to ten, raising 

 my different varieties to specify rank u uus and sesqui- 



tlorus. Any acute botanist in the field will find all of his supposed species 

 confluent. His next genus is Homalobus of Nuttall. The first six pro- 

 posed species contain at least two and possibly three good species, and this 

 group of six species comes next in the genetic order to Kentronhyta but before 

 It and not after it. Then he brings in (and out of order) Astragalus tenel- 

 his, which he splits into six species. This species is manifestly higher in 

 the order of development th Ich he puts in a 



efferent group and calls it Bougoviani), for the reason that the leaves are 

 p-.ore >p,, u.hzed and the stipules connate. I take decumbens to be the most 

 primitive of the to Lotus (Hosackia). 



. . °, not f ° : ' : 5 dberg's work 



and point out every mistake. I do not know a single competent botanist 

 who accepts Rydberg's conception of spe, i, s and g< nera. Now that E. D. 

 ;'-.' ; " ' 



hie to see a-' les there. 



, ft V-T" \ ( ' ,V v V to( P ,j r ^ ^ and densely 



: ' , - •. :. . 



les, glaucous rigid, I i {!; 1,- , ,, , , "bipinnate to 



:■■■':■;:.::.■ "'■ / ^.' '' 'V : " "' : ■■ - : '■ ■■■ ■'-■■- : . 



i xtnm, .boat t ; mm. long, „ of bractnets 



: 



body. Oil tubes . vude , as "f 



aSIh? ■ £*% aml ' H»i*s at the 



CoTam S^roSt Hs™ ^ti 



■'.•■' 



prericusl" " "" **"* 



Vcnegasia caipesioides Gray. Supplemer 



